This fledgling process is unlikely to be developed on a large enough scale in the time available to help us avert global warming. Its real function is to distract us from investing in alternative power sources and thus helps to keep the fossil fuel industry in business. Carbon capture is for the coal lobby what filter cigarettes were for the tobacco industry - a deceptive diversion.

To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content.

To continue reading this article, log in or subscribe to New Scientist